San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-11-11
THREE Elton boys.
BY w. Z. NORRIS.

well, suppose there would De nothing
very extraordinary in any girls falling in
love with him. So, as tel you, made
my appeal to IIilda; and wish hadn't,
for II didn't succeed. She began by deny
ing that she had led Beauchamp on, giving
me to understand that he was infatuated
about her and that she really couldn't
help it. Then, when persisted that she
could put stop to his infatuation very
easily If she chose, she got angry and said
that /, at any rate, ought not TO object if
BcauChamp proved faithless. | asked her
what she meant-because really didn't
know-whereupon she calmly accused me
in so many words Of being in love with
Lady Mildred myselfr'
"How insolentp' / exclaimed "And
how palpably untrue and absurdr'
"Well, yes" Jim agreed, 81 think it
was rather insolent, and Of course it was
untrue. don't know about the absurdity
of it; but what does seem TO me absurd is
that friendship between a man ard wo-
man should be considered impossible.
Like a fool as l am said so TO Lady
Bracknell; and she Immediately turned
round upon ME and asked why she wasn't
to be allowed to make friend Of Beau
champ. That rather shut me up. All
could say was that l didn't believe she
cared two straws about Beauchamp's
friendship; whereupon she retorted that
she didn't believe in my disinterested
friendship for Lady Mildred. So the dis
pute ended in draw"
1t was about this time that I received
a letter from home, informing me that
"good Mr.. Turner" was about to pay o
visit to the metropolis; and closely follow
ing upon the heels Of this announcement
came good Mr.. Turner himself to call
upon me, 1t being very evident that he
had been commissioned to inspect and re-
port upon my humble abode by my
mother, who has an ineradicable convic-
ton that, when absent from her, never
attempt to make myself comfortable. Mr..
Turner, urbane and patronizing as of old,
dropped in while was sitting over a late
breakfast and was kind enough to join me
in that repast. He remarked that they
had given him nothing but eggs at his
hotel, and eggs he was unable so much as
to look at, owing to. chronic arrangement
Of the liver.
81 am staying at a hotel" he went on
to say. Dear Hilda thought it best that
I should not go to her. She has reasons,
you understand-good and sufficient rea-
sons"
said / was quite sure of that; and in
deed the reasons in question did not strike
me as being of a reconcile character.
But Mr. Turner thought it necessary to
give his version of them. "Bracknell,"
he continued, sis, / am persuaded, both
kind hearted and well meaning and would
not hurt my feelings for the world; but
his habitual companions are-well, not
precisely congenial to me, and he has con-
tracted, from associating with them, a
tendency to use words and expressions
which, though possibly uttered in what /
may almost call an innocent spirit, are
such as might find it my duty as a cler-
gyman to protest against. Dear Hilda
thinks-and l quite agree with her-that
all risk Of unpleasantness should be
avoided, and therefore she has kindly Sc
cured rooms for me in very well con-
Quoted hotel. I must remember, how
ever, to tell them that eggs disagree with
me-"
Now l knew very well that Brackncll
might use language fit to make a bargee's
hair stand on end before the Rev. Simeon
would dare to uplift his voice in rebuke;
but I said, with strict adherence to the
truth, that had no doubt he would find
himself more comfortable in his present
quarters than in Wilton place; and he
presently remarked, signing a little, that
the only thing he regretted was being cut
off from the society of his grandson.
Had been under the same roof with
Summing" he added, rather pathetically,
1--WE could have amused ourselves together
without getting into anybody's way; but
l dare say they will let him come and see
me when it can be managed"
Poor old Turner's alteration Of his
grandson was quite upon a level with
that of Lord Staines, and the little fellow
was fond OF him too, although their ma
lures were so unlike.
After Mr.. Turner had conferred a few
words of patronizing encouragement upon
me Che had great disdain, tempered by
benevolence, for jewellers in Grub street.,
and after he had ambled away with his
umbrella under his arm, l began to feel
very sorry for him in his loneliness, and
it occurred to me that l should be doing
an act of true Christian charity by giving
him and the other grandfather a days
outing with their common descendant.
And, being in such an amiahle mood, l
thought / might combine this good deed
with the bestowal of a certain amount of
harmless pleasure upon two other persons,
as well as a fairly earned holiday upon
myself. So, having concOcted my scheme,
impaired it to Jim in the course of the
day, and he jumped at it with enthusiasm.
We had already agreed to revisit Elton
together some time before the close of the
season, but to me belongs all the credit of
the happy suggestion that Lord Staines,
Lady Mildred, Summing and Mr.. Turner
should be added to our party. Jim rep
resented that he was particularly anxious
to carry out this plan, because it would
cheer up Lord Staines, who had been look
ing tired and worried of late; and of course
that may have been his motive. But he
disagreed with me quite sharply when l
said that it would be kind to take the old
gentleman off Lady Mildred's hands for
day, and leave her to enjoy her liberty in
London.
''She wouldn't enjoy it at ALL" he de-
clared; sit would be about the last thing
in the world that she would be likely to
enjoy. Besides, don't believe old Staines
would go without her. Now, do hope
you won't put forward that idea, Harry;
because If you do, the whole thing is GER
tain to fall through"
So said that, in that case, wouldn't
put it forward; and as both Lady Mildred
and her father received our proposition
favorably, it only remained for us to beg
leave of absence for Summing and let Mr..
Turner know of the treat that was in store
for him. The Bracknells we did not ask;
because, for one thing, they would GER
tainly have declined, and also (which was,
perhaps, more to the purpose because we
didn't want them.
We all went down from Paddington
together in a saloon carriage, Lord Staines
as brisk as q bee, Mr.. Turner benignly
complacent, Summing dividing his atten-